Sensor structure with L-shaped spring legs
First Claim
1. A sensor structure comprisinga support frame (18) having a cavity defined by adjacent inwardly facing sides which join each other at inwardly facing junctures,a mass (16) disposed within said cavity, said mass having outwardly facing sides which intersect each other at outwardly facing junctures such that each of said outwardly facing sides of said mass is parallel and corresponds to one of said inwardly facing sides of said support frame, andeach of said junctures of said outwardly facing sides of said mass (16) faces and corresponds to one of said inwardly facing junctures of said support frame (18);
- said mass being dimensioned and arranged in said cavity so as to produce a peripheral space defined between said outwardly facing sides of said mass and said inwardly facing sides of the support frame; and
a plurality of springs (32) with each of said springs having only two connection ends, each of said springs having a first leg having a first connection end of said two connection ends and a second end, each of said spring having a second leg having a first end and a second connection end of said two connection ends, said first leg being disposed at an angle with respect to said second leg and having said second end joined to said first end of said second leg at a junction of a junction region where said second end of said first leg joins with said first end of said second leg, said junction region being characterized by an elbow shape, each of said springs placed in said peripheral space and (i) is connected at said first (44) end of said two connection ends to one of said outwardly facing sides of said mass (16), (ii) has said junction region placed around one of said outwardly facing junctures of two of said outwardly facing sides of said mass, and (iii) connects at said second connection end (42) to one of said inwardly facing sides of said support frame, the springs for mounting said mass for movement relative to said support frame.
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Abstract
A sensor structure (10) has a central mass (16) mounted within a support structure comprising an outer support frame (18), and upper and lower plates or covers (12, 14). Eight L-shaped ribbon springs (32, 34) fit about the corners (28) of the mass (16) to mount mass (16) for movement from a reference position with respect to the support structure. One leg (38) of each spring (32, 34) is connected to an associated side (26A) of the mass (16) centrally of the length of the associated side (26A). The other leg (40) is connected to the outer support frame (18). The sensor structure is designed for use as a sensing mechanism in an electrostatic accelerometer arrangement.
48 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A sensor structure comprising
a support frame (18) having a cavity defined by adjacent inwardly facing sides which join each other at inwardly facing junctures, a mass (16) disposed within said cavity, said mass having outwardly facing sides which intersect each other at outwardly facing junctures such that each of said outwardly facing sides of said mass is parallel and corresponds to one of said inwardly facing sides of said support frame, and each of said junctures of said outwardly facing sides of said mass (16) faces and corresponds to one of said inwardly facing junctures of said support frame (18); -
said mass being dimensioned and arranged in said cavity so as to produce a peripheral space defined between said outwardly facing sides of said mass and said inwardly facing sides of the support frame; and a plurality of springs (32) with each of said springs having only two connection ends, each of said springs having a first leg having a first connection end of said two connection ends and a second end, each of said spring having a second leg having a first end and a second connection end of said two connection ends, said first leg being disposed at an angle with respect to said second leg and having said second end joined to said first end of said second leg at a junction of a junction region where said second end of said first leg joins with said first end of said second leg, said junction region being characterized by an elbow shape, each of said springs placed in said peripheral space and (i) is connected at said first (44) end of said two connection ends to one of said outwardly facing sides of said mass (16), (ii) has said junction region placed around one of said outwardly facing junctures of two of said outwardly facing sides of said mass, and (iii) connects at said second connection end (42) to one of said inwardly facing sides of said support frame, the springs for mounting said mass for movement relative to said support frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A sensor structure including:
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an outer support frame including four frame members each of which is perpendicular to two other of said four frame members, said frame members forming a central opening where each of said four frame members has a side which faces inwardly toward said central opening, a moveable mass disposed within said central opening and including four mass sides, each of said mass sides facing outwardly and being perpendicular to two other of said four mass sides, said moveable mass being designed and dimensioned to fit within said central opening so that four side spaces are defined, each of said side spaces defined between each side of said mass sides and a corresponding frame member side which is parallel to each respective side of said mass, each of said four side spaces forming a juncture space with another side space at a location outwardly of an intersection of two mass sides of said four mass sides and inwardly of an innersection of two frame member sides of said four frame members, four L-shaped springs, each said spring having first and second spring ends, each said L-shaped spring being connected only at said first spring end to a support frame member side of said four frame members and is connected at said second spring end only to a mass side of said four mass sides which is perpendicular to said support frame member side to which said first spring end is connected, each said L-shaped spring including a first leg joined to a second leg at a spring leg junction at a position where said first leg of said spring is joined to a second leg of said spring, with each said L-shaped spring having said first leg positioned within a first side space of said four side spaces with said second leg positioned within a second side space of said four side spaces which is perpendicular to said first side space, and with said spring leg junction of each said L-shaped spring being positioned in said juncture space outwardly of an intersection of said first and second side spaces. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A sensor structure comprising
a frame, a moveable mass, four L-shaped springs which include a first leg joined to a second leg at a juncture region, where said first leg of each said L-shaped spring is connected only to said frame but not to said mass and said second leg of said each said L-shaped spring is connected only to said mass but not to said frame, and said juncture region of each of said L-shaped springs is positioned in a juncture space formed between the frame and the mass.
Specification